Jewish Fertility Foundation

The Jewish Fertility Foundation provides financial assistance, emotional support, and educational programming to families and individuals with medical infertility.

L’Dor v’Dor: Planting seeds of love, knowledge, perseverance, and patience can grow into forests of abundance for the future. When parents plant their seeds in the world, their future generations have the ability to grow and flourish. My painting portrays the significance and beauty in continuity through fertility.

I chose to depict the theme using a tree to symbolize life. The roots of the tree are grounding, and absorb nutrients from the ground. The branches use the nutrients to bear fruit and multiply. Similarly, we absorb teachings of our older generations and pass them on to our younger generations. I painted bones buried in ground to symbolize the abundance that generations who came before us provided.

I chose to add a fetus to the roots of the tree because it symbolizes the seed of life. Seeds, similar to babies, are the prelude to their vast existence. In the most minuscule phases of life, there is endless potential for growth. The pomegranates represent abundance in love and fertility - key factors to continuing a family.

Judaism celebrates life through Rosh Hashanah, bringing in the new year and, with it, endless possibilities. During Passover we reminisce on our ancestors’ sacrifices and vow we are never free until all are free. Sukkot is the holiday for the harvest. Although, trees can take a lifetime until they become fruitful, our ancestors planted trees so we can thrive, and we must do the same for our future generations so their harvests are plentiful.

Artist: Camryn Mather